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January 30, 2013

The Mayor and City Councillors

Toronto City Hall

Dear Mayor and Councillors,

We are former Mayors of Toronto who believe that it is not in our citys best interest to establish

commercial casino operations in Toronto.

In the years we served in office, we saw countless proposals that proponents said would bring the city

big revenues, many jobs, and much prestige. And some of them did, but beware the sales pitch. The

numbers dont always add up, and we think that is a real possibility in this case. Revenues can be

inflated and costs such as police services and traffic congestion underestimated. In fact, extensive

research in the U.S., carried out by Earl Grinols, professor of economics at Baylor University, indicates

that for every $1 in benefit, there is a cost of at least $3. These costs are reflected in infrastructure

costs, higher regulatory expenses, additional policing and criminal justice costs, and larger social welfare

expenditures.

A Canadian study by the RCMP in British Columbia has also linked increased crime to casino gambling,

noting that members of organized crime also use casinos for criminal purposes such as loan-sharking

and money laundering.

And how will local businesses in and around the Casino be affected? According to some studies, not too

well. Casinos want to keep you in the building, not roaming to outside restaurants and otherestablishments in the community. They have their own restaurants and shopping facilities to keep you

inside. In Atlantic City many restaurants have closed near the casinos, leaving a few pawnshops and

cash for gold stores.

It has been suggested that a casino shouldnt be in a residential neighbourhood. But look at downtown

Toronto and almost anywhere else in the city. Condo development is putting residential communities

everywhere.

The social costs of gambling must also be taken seriously. It preys on the poor and those vulnerable to

addiction. Problem gambling is already an issue. A commercial casino in Toronto will make it that much

worse. Studies indicate that where casinos go, so go increases in poverty, homelessness, gambling

problems, suicides, drug/alcohol addictions, and crimes by those feeding their habit. Not only are the

gamblers affected but so are their families, their kids.

Toronto is not about to become another Las Vegas, a tourist gambling destination. And we wouldnt

want it to. Much of the casino revenues are likely to be generated locally by taking away from other

games of chance and lotteries. There are already enough gambling opportunities. We say enough is

7/29/2019 Three former Toronto mayors give advice to the current one

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enough. Governments shouldnt be expanding gambling opportunities as a means of balancing their

budgets. A commercial casino operation is not in Torontos best interest.

Sincerely ,

David Crombie John Sewell Art Eggleton